1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to reducing back pain. More particularly, this invention provides for reducing pressure to the spine and to other sensitive areas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Oftentimes people are required to perform their daily work while seated. Many leisure activities also involve prolonged periods of sitting. Long periods of sitting have increasingly been identified as a major cause of lower back pain. Studies have indicated that changes in the curvature of the spine that occur due to a person being seated for long periods of time are one cause of lower back pain. Other problems that have become associated with sitting for long periods of time include, pressure ulcers, decreased blood flow, and aggravation of pre-existing hemorrhoids.
When a person spends a long period of time seated on a chair, coccygodinia becomes increasingly likely to occur. Coccygodinia is a pain in the coccyx or tailbone at the end of the lumbar. Continued sitting with such pain becomes increasingly difficult. Also, a person with hemorrhoids has difficulty in maintaining posture for a long time while sitting.
Studies have also shown that lack of spinal motion creates stretch in spinal ligaments and hampers fluid flow into the disc which leads to insufficient nutrition of the vertrebral discs. The discs, ligaments, and muscles of the human back bear more stress while sitting than during standing or most other activities.
Additionally, researchers have observed spinal shrinking after prolonged sitting. An individual's height after a prolonged time in a sitting position is actually shorter than it was before the prolonged sitting period.
Other studies have demonstrated adverse effects on muscles with prolonged low-level static loading on the back due to prolonged sitting. Prolonged activity, even the low-level activity associated with sitting, leads to impaired oxygenation of muscle tissues and has been implicated as a cause of back pain.
Sitting, especially prolonged sitting is generally accepted as a risk factor in developing low back pain. Several factors are considered to be important components of this association, including disc compression, lack of spinal motion and loading of the spine stabilizing muscles.
Since prolonged sitting is unlikely to go away, it is apparent that there needs to be a mechanism for sitting that relieves back pain rather than making it worse.